FIFTY HOMES BUILT BY HAND

Two centuries weave together a dream come true

By Jimmer Prieto • El Puente Staff

Every town in the United States, large or small, has a history that makes it unique. 

The city of Goshen, Indiana, is no exception. I am going to talk about a dream that was born more than a hundred years ago in our city; a living dream that grew like a child and, like any child, was exposed to the difficulties of the outside world. The dream survived thanks to the care of several “dreamers” who refused to let it fade away. It moved from a difficult childhood into youth and has continued to grow and strengthen to this day, when it has reached full maturity; that is, it continues to bear fruit. What fruit? The answer is simple: Homes!

Let’s hear from the dreamers and students themselves as they talk about the magnificent Building Trades program, another of the wonders that make the city of Goshen so special.

Pete Weddell, program instructor from 1984 to 2004:

“The project began in the 1920s but had to be put on hold due to the 1929 Depression. Five decades later, during the 1979–80 school year, the completion of the fourth house was celebrated, built by Goshen High School students under the direction of teacher James Hughes.” 

Since 1980, Goshen High School’s “Building Trades” program has built a house every year without fail, reaching the 50th house this 2025–26 school year.

For Mr. Weddell: 

“Working on this project was my calling and my hobby. I was always building something on the weekends or during the summer. I felt the project was a great opportunity for young people and also to prepare them to get a good job.”

Adam Young, a teacher with the project from 2004 to 2023, says:

“We need to foster a personal connection between the students and what they’re doing. It’s not just about building walls, installing cabinets, or putting on roofs. We need to help them realize that a family is going to live in that house. Children will grow up there; birthdays will be celebrated; happy and difficult moments will take place. It will be the place where they feel safe and can say: ‘This is my home, this is my house.’”

From this personal awareness, a strong sense of work ethic takes root in the students. “The houses must be built well. If a mistake is discovered, we tear it down and do it again,” says Professor Kingsley.

Mr. Kingsley, who is the project’s classroom and lab instructor, adds:

“Reaching the 50th house is very significant because it speaks highly of the program’s quality. From the last century to the present day, hundreds of young people have discovered and developed their skills through the experience of building a house.” 

In their workshop class, the students, under Mr. Kingsley’s guidance, build the parts of the house and, on-site, install them one by one under the direction of Professor Todd Line. Both teachers maintain direct and constant communication so that, over the course of the year, the project can turn the dream of a new home into reality.

The city of Goshen and several towns in northern Indiana experienced unprecedented growth in the 1990s due to immigration, particularly from Latin American families. As factories expanded with the immigrant workforce, schools responded positively by addressing the educational needs of their children. Programs like “Building Trades” also grew and became established to the point where 75% of their students are Latino.  

The celebration of the 50th house takes on even greater significance due to the presence of two young Latina women, Ivón Rescalvo and Jenny Orozco, who are regular students in the program. 

Let’s hear what some of the 2026 students who helped build the 50th house have to say. They speak on behalf of hundreds of Latinos who, for more than three decades, have helped build a house, year after year, with their own hands.

In closing, Professor Kingsley tells us that IvyTech awards 9 credits to students who complete their training in the building trades and wish to continue their studies at the college level. 

To the obvious question, “What happens to the house now that it’s finished?” Mr. Kingsley replies: “Once the house is finished, it’s sold at a slightly lower price, since the labor was provided by the students.” With the money received in exchange, another lot and the materials to build the next house are purchased. In this way, the project contributes to the community by offering a top-quality product at a competitive cost, while the students learn multiple skills that will serve them for a lifetime. 

On my way home, I was filled with joy at the thought that our young people, quietly and with the strength of their hands, have also contributed to the progress of the city that welcomed them and, with that, to the history of the country where their families will grow up, in the multifaceted landscape of the 21st century.

Watch the video of the “50 houses built by hand” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTWDoSHLn7Q